Use this 30 minute ab workout clients will love. It uses body weight exercises for an at home workout, making it convenient for all. Plus, core strength and stability should be a part of any client’s workout plan. A fit core is more than defined ab muscles. It helps build total body stability. This helps with balance, performance, and injury prevention. 

This quick abs workout is short and enjoyable. Further, the ab exercises are effective and easy for most clients to do. 

Keep Reading: Upper Ab Exercises: Are Washboard Abs Possible?

How Often Should Clients Do Core Work?

It may be tempting to include an ab workout every day or include it with all workout routines. However, that’s not necessary to see results. In fact, including core exercises 2 to 3 days a week is a great way to build muscle and core strength for clients looking to lose body fat, build muscle, or improve their functional fitness. Plus, it will keep them from getting bored. 

Remember, the core is a muscle group that needs a regular workout, just like having a leg day or arms day. And, it’s just like any other workout, you need days for rest and recovery.

This 30 minute ab workout will bring core work into client training sessions without overdoing it. Even better, the abs exercises here are perfect for a home workout. So clients can do these in between their training sessions with you. Or, if you’re an online personal trainer or hybrid fitness coach, it’s a core workout ready to go. Apply as part of your rotation of workout routines for them to complete.

Keep Reading: A 30-Minute Couples Workout to Do at Home

The Ab Workout Clients Will Love

This workout is filled with a variety of exercises to target the abdominal muscles while being appropriate for clients of all types and ages. See below for suggested sets and reps, along with a list of each exercise and an explanation for yourself or clients who may not be familiar.

Time on: 45 seconds 

Time off: 15 seconds 

Rest time: 1 minute at the end of each round

Sets: 3 rounds

Core Exercises:

  • Plank crunches
  • Leg lifts
  • Scissor kicks
  • Bear lifts
  • Bird-dog planks
  • Mountain climbers
  • Side plank dips
  • Bridge marches

Plank Crunches 

This exercise is similar to a burpee, but without the final stand and jump motion. Start in a high plank position, hands under the shoulders, core, and quads tight. Jump your feet under your butt and pop your legs back out to plank position. 

Leg Lifts 

Lie supine with your back flat to the ground, a slight pelvic tilt, and your belly button close to the spine. Keep your feet together and lift them off the ground to a 90-degree angle and then lower them back down, keeping your back flat the entire time. You can place hands under your glutes to help achieve a lift if this hurts your back or is too challenging to complete a single rep.

Scissor Kicks 

Lie supine with your back flat to the ground, a slight pelvic tilt, and your belly button close to the spine. Lift your legs a few feet off the ground and cross the left foot over the right and then the right over the left, repeating back and forth for the duration of the time. 

Bear Lifts

Start on your hands and knees, with heels under your butt, and toes gripping the ground. Push your toes into the ground to lift your knees off the floor, so they’re about a foot off the ground. Hold, squeeze and release your knees back to the ground and repeat.

Bird Dog Planks 

Get into a plank position, hands under your shoulders and feet out behind you, also shoulder-width apart. Life opposite arm and leg, squeeze and hold, and return, repeating on the other side. If this is too challenging, you can modify it by getting onto your hands and knees and alternating legs and arms from this position.

Mountain climbers 

Get into a plank position, hands under your shoulders and feet out behind you, also shoulder-width apart. Alternate bringing each knee to your chest. You can do this fast, using a running motion, or hold the knee into your chest for a few seconds each time. 

Side Plank Dips 

Start from a side plank, hand under your shoulder, feet stacked on top of one another or sitting one in front of the other for greater stability. Dip your hip down to the floor and then brace your core to lift back up to the side plank position to complete one rep. Do this on each side for 45 seconds.

Bridge Marches 

Lay on your back, and lift your hips, bringing heels close to your butt, and keeping shoulders flat on the ground. Keep the belly button close to the spine and back flat. Once in this bridge position, drive your knee up to your chest as if you’re marching. Alternate each leg for the duration. 

Keep Reading: Dynamic Upper Body Warmup for All Clients

 

Work the Core Quickly and Effectively

You don’t need to overdo it to help your clients see progress with their core. Use these exercises to bring a wide variety to your client workouts, allowing you to target the entire abdomen while avoiding boredom. Note that for many of these exercises, you can also add holds, pulses, weights, or resistance bands to intensify the exercise. Whether working together at the gym or helping clients from home, this 30 minute ab workout is a great addition to your programming. 

When you get a degree in exercise science from Lionel University, you learn how to design any type of fitness program. Further, the doors to fitness job opportunities are wide open. Regardless of whether you’re pursuing an associates degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, specialists in exercise science are in demand.

As you go through your degree program at Lionel, you’ll also earn your personal training certification and Master Trainer certificate in the first few months. This means you can start working as a personal trainer while you finish your program! And, with the help of financial aid, earning your exercise science degree is even more of a possibility. 

Check out our programs and contact Lionel today!